Academics

Course Requests open at 7 a.m. on Feb. 6 and closes at 7 a.m. on Feb. 13, 2023.

Students and families will access this through Skyward, using the student account access. Instructions for how to use the Skyward tool, how to choose classes, and other information may be found in the PowerPoint linked below. Families should also download the 6th-Grade Course Planning Sheet and use the guidance below to guide their decisions in making these requests.

Selecting Middle School Courses

Transitioning from elementary to middle school is an exciting step and the first opportunity for families to make decisions about their student's academic course selections. 5th Graders will choose an elective class that interests them, such as band, chorus, orchestra, or an exploratory course of art, STEM, and leadership skills. Some students may also opt for accelerated pathways in one or more core subjects. Families should read about class options and academic pathways on our Course Descriptions webpage.

The accelerated options in middle school Language Arts, Math, and Science are intended for those students whose personal goals, interests, and abilities would benefit from these options. Families interested in Advanced Language Arts, or skipping a year of science or math content should consider the following guidance:

Students choosing advanced/accelerated courses should:

• Have particular interests and aspirations in that course of study.
• Have excellent study habits and organizational skills.
• Have strong communication and reading skills for engaging with rigorous material.
• Demonstrate motivation, maturity, perseverance, and stamina for learning challenging material.
• Be active participants in all aspects of the classroom, including discussions, group or individual projects, and labs.
• Consider the increased time commitment to studies outside of the school day (please think about all responsibilities, including sports, music, and club affiliations).
• Consider the possibility that grades could be lower than if students took the typical course sequence(s).
• Consider the possibility that by skipping courses in math and science they may have some gaps in content knowledge.

This is an important decision for students and families. In Language Arts, this decision will be made yearly. For math and science, once a student starts a path above grade level, it may not be possible to change course without repeating content. Below is additional information to consider as you make your course selections.

Advanced Language Arts Readiness Criteria	Math Pathway C CC7/8 Math Readiness Criteria (skipping content)	Science Pathway 2 Readiness Criteria
2022 SBA ELA score: Level 4	2022 SBA Math score: Level 4 Common Core 6 Mastery Assessment: 80% or higher	2022 SBA Math score: Level 4 Common Core 6 Mastery Assessment: 80% or higher
Report Card Grades in Reading and Writing: 4	Report Card Grades in Math: 4	Report Card Grades in Math: 4 Reading and Writing:4
i-Ready reading score in 5th grade above 4.00 and reading above grade level	i-Ready math score above 4.00 and working at a 7th-grade level	i-Ready math score above 4.00 and working at a 7th-grade level

The sections below provide more information to consider when choosing middle school math and science placement. These readiness criteria are designed to serve as a guide. Students do not have to meet the readiness criteria in order to select a more advanced or accelerated pathway.

Families should also be aware that high school level courses will automatically be added to the student’s transcript, in accordance with District Regulation 2410. Students can request to have the course transcribed only for credit toward graduation and not include the grade in the student’s high school GPA calculation. Students can also request to have these credits removed completely from their transcript. Please note that once the grades and/or credits are deleted from the high school transcript, the grade and credit cannot be added back and will permanently be excluded from the student’s grade point average. This will impact students that follow Math Pathway B or C and students that choose Science Pathway 2.